The Outcast

by D.L. Whipple

When a young girl is assaulted, the tight-knit community of Banning, Iowa, quickly points fingers, but their star athlete is protected by his popularity, a shield that seems impenetrable.

Danny, the farm boy from a family with little influence and a spotted reputation, becomes the easier scapegoat, feeling the full weight of small-town judgment. He must fight to clear himself in the face of betrayal from those he has known all his life.

But as the world turns its back on him, he finds an unexpected ally in an unpopular girl who knows the pain of exclusion, the power of lies and betrayal, and dares to stand by him.

The Outcast is a powerful story of love, friendship, betrayal, and redemption when the only solace is to do the right thing.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2025

Reviews

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly a superior book!

Being in a similar high school experience as these young people made the book incredibly interesting for me, especially listening to Beatles songs and what we called the oldies.

Although I never was involved in the situation that is the main thrust of this story, I did associate with the feelings of a high school student in that that day and age. Most importantly was peer pressure put on Dani. Has he tried to get in with the “boys” “.

The plant was beautifully developed and gave me a bit of a twist at the end. Not a major fall off the cliff twist but definitely a twist after I thought I’d figure out what happened.

I Enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sharon S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Outcast” by D.L. Whipple

Iowa in 1963 is the setting for this compelling story about a farm boy who finds himself in trouble with the law and his whole community when he foolishly thinks giving a ride to the high school football hero will make him one of the cool guys. The life-changing consequences of that decision reverberate through the small community and dredge up painful history.

It’s a page-turner, as rumors swirl about the protagonist Danny and his family, and the community takes sides. I grew impatient with Danny, whose temper, self-pity and immaturity led him to make one bad decision after another. It seemed that he was incapable of learning from his mistakes or listening to good advice. Perhaps that’s what it’s like to be a teenage boy, but it began to frustrate me that he was so impulsive and compounded his trouble.

What sparkles is the character of Weird Wendy, a social outcast and classmate who befriends Danny, when he is being shunned. All in all, “The Outcast” is worth a read to go back to the norms, social stigma and the high cost of being cool in a small town in the 1960s. (Note: Story has themes of sexual assault and violence.)

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Hot Mess Book Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Outcast" by D. L. Whipple is a gripping and emotionally rich narrative that captivates from the first chapter. The story centers around Danny Prescott, a young man who becomes an outcast in his town after being falsely accused of a crime.

Whipple’s writing shines through in his character development and dialogue. Danny is portrayed with depth and sensitivity, allowing readers to empathize with his predicament as he navigates the fallout from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The author expertly creates a tense atmosphere where the stakes are high, making it difficult to put the book down as you root for Danny’s vindication.

What stands out in "The Outcast" is Whipple's ability to handle complex themes with grace. The narrative avoids unnecessary graphic details but still manages to evoke strong emotions related to reputation, community, and personal integrity. The pacing is spot on, ensuring that the story remains engaging without losing its impact.

Overall, "The Outcast" is a profound tale that resonates on multiple levels. It’s a powerful reminder of the fragility of reputation and the importance of compassion in the face of adversity. Highly recommended!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE OUTCAST was a difficult read. Set in 1963, it is the story of Danny Prescott and what happens in a small Iowa community after an August day changed the course of three lives. (Trying to keep this review spoiler-free may be more difficult because there are things I want to say.)

I couldn't put the book down once I started it. Getting caught up in the lives of Danny Prescott, Brent Arrington, and Loretta Tinsley is agonizing and heartbreaking and made me angry. And yet, author D. L. Whipple also manages a fairly satisfying conclusion to what is a horrendously sad situation.

What takes place in this novel is not easy to read, but I do recommend it.

I received an advance reader copy from the author through BookSirens, for which I thank them. All opinions are mine.

[Carol Stefanik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a first novel but it didn't really feel like that. The dialog was realistic. The interactions of the characters were appropriate to their ages. This was a book that you could feel yourself interacting in. There is plenty of action for what is basically a coming of age story. The tension builds, deflates, builds, edges down, builds. By the time the ending rolls around, you are right in there, throwing punches of your own and praying you don't die. This is a real story. Stuff that actually happens in many a town.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tony Heck · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Lies live long lives in Banning, and minds were hard to change. Some people couldn’t admit they’d been wrong, while others wanted to believe the worst.” The novel, The Outcast, by D.L. Whipple leads us through the life and choices of Danny Prescott in a rural town in Oklahoma after he is criminally charged then further labeled as an accomplice to a rape by his vicinity to the abhorrent crime. The Outcast excels at revealing how our choices, even that of the choice to not intervene, has a rippling effect far beyond what could be considered in the moment. As we live through Danny’s feelings of regret and efforts in redemption, we feel for and question the intent of its central character and those around him. The story carries a profound emotional weight through the central themes being explored.

I was provided a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say other than this is a must-read tale of a teenage farm boy in Iowa during the 1960s when life in rural America was different than many lives today? The story is excellent - harrowing to read - filled with the consequences of one teenage decision with some genuinely awful life-altering events for most characters. It is a tale as old as time - the desire for a young boy or girl to fit in, succumbing to peer pressure, and doing things for all the wrong reasons, then trying to correct those errors with the small-town lifestyle stacked against him.

At times, I laughed; at times, I cried, and at times, reading the book was heart-wrenching. Other times, I put the book down, as I felt some of the farm life details got in the way of the story. But the more I read and the deeper I dove into the Preston family, the more realistic these details were, and the more developed the setting, which became a character in itself.

Be prepared. The book is filled with violence, which is well-written but often hard to handle. But the writer did a fantastic job of offsetting the horrors with humor. The book contains abuse, rape, self-harm, and bullying, which the author portrayed in a way that made the story real - one that truly described how women handled such matters in a time when men felt as if they could do whatever they pleased without any consequences.

I highly recommend this story. But be prepared for moments when you want to enter this tale and give a few characters a piece of your mind. This is what makes this book an excellent read. It is not for the faint of heart or young audiences, despite the hilarity of the father and the two boys on the farm. But it is a tale of a young boy who made one bad decision and works throughout the book to correct it.

I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Book Sirens for the opportunity to read this book as a free ARC. This review is mine and mine alone.

[virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say other than this is a must-read tale of a teenage farm boy in Iowa during the 60s, when life in rural America was different than today. The story is excellent - hard to read at times - filled with the consequences of one teenage decision that has some truly awful life-altering events for most of the characters. It is a tale as old as time - the desire for a young boy or girl to simply fit in, succumbing to peer pressure, and doing things for all the wrong reasons, then trying to correct those errors with the small-town lifestyle stacked against him.

At times I laughed. At times I cried. At times reading the book was heart-wrenching. Other times, I put the book down, as I felt some of the farm life details got in the way of the story. But the more I read and deeper inside the Preston family I dove, the more realistic these details were, the more developed the setting, which became a character in itself.

Be prepared. The book is filled with violence, which is well-written but often hard to handle. But the writer did an amazing job of offsetting the horrors with humor. The book contains abuse, rape, self-harm, and bullying, which the author portrayed in a way that made the story real - one that truly described how women handled such matters in a time when men felt as if they could do whatever they pleased without any consequences.

I highly recommend this story. But be prepared for some moments when you just want to reach inside this tale and give a few characters a piece of your mind. This is what makes this book an excellent read. It is not for the faint of heart or young audiences, despite the hilarity of the father and the two boys on the farm. But it is a tale of a young boy who made one bad decision and works throughout the book to correct it.

I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Book Sirens for the opportunity to read this book as a free ARC. This review is mine and mine alone.

[Shell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danny Prescott is a nobody junior in 1963, in a small town in Iowa. Although he's on the football team, he's not usually a starter. He has friends, but isn't in the "in" crowd, led by Brent Arrington, one of the best football players in the state. On a lazy Sunday, he is conned into giving Arrington a ride and inadvertently drawn into Arrington's crime.

This is a heartbreaking story about popularity, rumors, bullying, and trying to do the right thing. People haven't changed at all since 1963. The story is a commentary on what some in our society find to be important. How being rich and (somewhat) famous eases your life and seem to make people like and believe your version of thing. It's a story about family values and family love.

It was hard to put this book down. The storyline was excellent. The characters were very well written. It was a book that made me laugh and definitely made me cry. You will not regret reading this one! #GoodreadsGiveaway

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to D.L. for entrusting me with this precious book. Below is my honest review.

This was an impressive book. I am shocked to learn this is a debut novel by this author. The characters were so rich and developed. Dialog was age-appropriate with 1963 references of movies, TV and music peppered into the story.
The story itself is a hard read filled with sexual assault, violence, animal cruelty, suicide, etc. The scenes were not overly graphic while still holding the emotions of the plot together.
This is a fast-paced read once you get into the story. There is a little sense of mystery but mostly I categorize it as a straight up fiction book.
I took off a star for the overcomplicated football talk/scenes and the animal cruelty.
Bravo D.L., on a wonderful first book. Cheers!

[Rebecca Morel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I typically reserve 5 star reviews for the best of the best, and this book deserves it! You know a book is written well when you feel every emotion (happiness, anger, confusion, love & more) & nod your head in agreeance. This book was written from a teenage boys perspective set in the 60's. I could feel this boy working hard on his parents' farm. I could feel his struggle with emotions. I admired his respect and especially loved the hilarious banter with his brother. This author did not miss a detail. It's a MUST READ for me!

[Teminikan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grateful for the ARC of this book

The outcast was a really good read.
The author explore heavy themes like rape, bullying and sexual assault he did a good job conveying his message. The storyline was well written and I could feel the emotions of the characters while reading.

The ending was kind of heartbreaking and I wished it could have been different but it wasn’t bad.

I definitely would recommend this book to anyone

[Debbi LeDonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book but it was pretty heavy and I decided to read something light afterwards. It was definitely one I thought about when I wasn't reading it.

[Manikya Kodithuwakku · Rating 4 out of 5]

In one line: a story about a teen who makes one bad decision, and then compounds it in his fright/confusion. The story is fast-paced and the atmosphere of farm life is captured well with the land, and its creatures and produce taking an eminent place alongside the characters.

This is an easy-read and in a way, a good ‘holiday read’, but the material is a little harrowing because the story develops around a sexual assault 😔

I found the protagonist Danny’s initial decisions to be bad in the typical teen wanna-be kind of way of the time, and therefore quite relatable. But I found it a bit more difficult to empathise with his reactions later on and that’s what makes this book worth reading. Danny’s reactions after-the-fact explore heavier material than teenage anxiety, uncertainty, and yearnings to belong: they demonstrate the tensions boys (and men) have to negotiate when they are unsure what the ‘right thing to do’ is, esp in an unfamiliar situation with the opposite gender. For this reason alone, I think this would be a great middle-school level book to talk about consent, and the concepts of masculinity and femininity and their impact on individuals.

Thank you to the author and Book Sirens for the ARC! 🙏🏽